Index Astartes Coldfire Scorpions
by Jo Ward
Summary: Index Astartes style article on the Crusading Space Marines known as the Coldfire Scorpions, including the betrayal they SUffered at the Hands of the Angels of Absaloution.Written for Koko


**Chapter:** Coldfire Scorpions

**Founding:** Unknown

**Founding legion/chapter:** unknown - .however past suggestion that they are from Salamanders stock remain unconfirmed, especially in view of their fighting style and appearance.

**Chapter Symbol:**Stylised Scorpion designs

**Homeworld: **The Coldfire Scorpions are a space born Crusader Force, based around their capital ship the Glacia Iracundia, a slightly larger than standard Space Marine Battle Barge, heavily converted for the Chapters needs for a mobile command base, headquarters and training facility.

**Doctrines/Combat Style: **The Coldfire Scorpions are specialists in arctic combat fighting conditions. Although for a crusading force this raises some challenges, the chapter have so far been successful in their chosen combat roles. Its worth noting here the Codlfire scorpions only seem to maintain about 800 marines instead of the standard thousand, similar to the salamanders why this is, is unknown.

**Background:**  
The Coldfire Scorpions come from an unknown ice planet, and there has been much speculation as to the planet's name, or why they now operate as a crusading fleet. It is likely that the Scorpions find it a matter of great importance to keep shrouded in mystery or they simply do not deem it a necessity to reveal it.

During the early years of the chapters history they were involved in the incident which became known as the 'Scouring of Greatharg's Waaagh'. The Coldfire Scorpions had been assigned to relieve elements of the 38th, 40th and 114th Valhallan Imperial guard after their assigned mission against the Orks under the command of one warlord Greatharg, took a turn for the worse. On planet fall it became clear the Ork presence on the planet was far more extensive than previously thought. Instead of the straightforward cleansing operation orignially planned the Scorpions became bogged down in defensive actions as they tried in vain to hold onto to critical locations and protect civilians targets. During these dark days the fate of the world and even that of the Coldfire Scorpions seemed in jeopardy, ork space forces entered this system dropping from warp and almost immediately engaging the Coldfire Scorpions battlefleet, while they were able to defend themselves they were unable to either break orbit or recover any troops from the surface, things were looking grim.

It was then that a 2nd force entered the system, one that would chill the hearts of even the space marines, Tomb ships of the ancient Necron Race had entered the fight. At the site of a fresh force the ork ram ships and Kill Kroozas immediately began to engage this new foe, at the same time Space Marine forces on the ground begun to find their ork enemies turning from combat with them to fight a new unseen enemy. At this point the Chapters master Icio Consternatio order a full withdrawal of all imperial forces from the planet. This evacuation was a calculated move to save what forces they had left and preserver the planetry population, some would call it idiocy but Icio wasn't stupid within 2 months he had returned aided by elements of the Deatwatch, Ordo militant of the Ordo Xenos and other Ordo Xenos forces, under the command of Inquisitor Adarzey.

The orks had been slaughtered and now lay in field of rotting flesh and bone, of their metal opponents there was no sign. A large chunk of the northern mountains had collapsed though as if somthign had been forcefully extracted from the planet itself and removed, what this was and what the inquisition found there not even the Scorpions know, what is certain is that the planet was declared Perdita and cleansed from orbit, a deathwatch base has been established in the area, its official purpose for training, but its position is unlikely to be a coincidence

Since then the Coldfire Scorpions have taken part in many successful campaigns, perhaps one of the most famous is the battle of the mining world of Lokri II, although famous the Scorpions regard the memory of this war as a painful one and the companies which fought in it have black victory laurels denoting their mourning for what happened there.

The Scorpions 3rd-5th companies deployed to the world to defend it at the request of the planetary governor after repeated pirate raids. However after the first confrontation with these pirates it was clear they weren't simple raiding filth but worse, Chaos Space Marines, a group of loosely aligned renegades now calling themselves the Chaos Phantoms. The raids increased and it soon became clear that the raids were building up to something much larger. it was at this point that the Scorpions felt it neccesary to send out a call for aid, a request which was soon answered by the Angels of Redemption. The Angels of Redemption deployed the equivalent of 5 companies in support of the Coldfire Scorpions and fought hard, side by side with the Scorpions and soon the tied of the ware turned and they began to take the fight to the Chaos Phantoms hidden bases.

However 3 months into the offensive the Angels of Redemption pulled out of combat with no warning and left the Scorpions exposed to the full wrath of the Phantoms. The scorpions, the planets tiny PDF forces and the planetary Arbites were pushed back to the Lokri's only major city which they held for 6 months until the relief arrived in the form of the majority of their chapter supported by elements of the Marines Errant and the Novamarines. Of the 3 whole companies who had been deployed to the planet only 20 marines were in any condition to fight and a further 63 were injured. The only Marine of commanding rank left was Chaplain Donovian who commanded the desperate defense despite having much of the left side of his body paralysed during the last month of the war.

The Scorpions have never forgotten the betrayal they suffered at the hands of the Angels of Redemption, its not known whether they notified the High Lords of Terra or the inquisition of this grievous crime, but what can be said for certain is that if they cross paths with the Angels of Redemption again it will not be on cordial terms.


End file.
